The invention relates sampling of pollutants such as for sampling gasoline and diesel emissions of engines or of ambient air. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus to concentrate fine particles in a fluid flow, for collection, detection and/or measurement thereof, and in particular though not exclusively to the concentration of and collection of fine particulate material for chemical characterization of vehicle emissions or the like.
For quality data to be obtained from chemical analysis of samples a significant amount of material is needed, ideally 50-100 mg. Using current sampling practices, a single atmospheric aerosol sample yields a sample size of about 300 xcexcg, typical diesel emission samples are about 2 mg and typical light duty gasoline emissions samples are about 20 xcexcg.
There are several approaches that can be taken for increasing the amount of material collected for analysis.
High volume sampling using large filters (8xe2x80x3xc3x9710xe2x80x3) may lead to high blanks or background concentrations due to the large amount of filter media. Using smaller filters at the same high flow rate requires a greater pressure drop across the filter and a corresponding loss of volatile material from the sample.
Multiple filters can be used to collect samples at a lower flow rate but this offers the same risk of high blanks or background concentrations as high volume sampling. Multiple samples can be collected simultaneously, requiring multiple sets of sampling apparatus. If multiple samples are collected sequentially, then the sampled gas must be of a consistent composition, necessitating multiple repeats of a vehicle test or an atmosphere that is not changing.
Particle concentrators such as virtual impact-type concentrators have been used in the past for inhalation exposure studies.
1. Sioutas et al. in Environmental Health Perspectives, 103, 2, 172-177, 1995
2. Sioutas et al. in Inhalation Toxicology, 7, 633-644, 1995
3. Sioutas et al. in J. Aerosol Sci., 28, 6, 1057-1071, 1977
These devices can achieve a 10-50 fold increase in particle concentration without changing the composition of the matrix gas. There are two particle size cut-offs on these concentrators. The upper size limit is imposed by a pre-selection stage that allows only particles of a given size or smaller to pass into the concentrator. The lower size limit is imposed by the design constraints of the concentrator itself: the aerodynamics and geometry of the virtual impactors used in the particle concentrator impose the lower size limit. Typically, the upper size cut is 10 xcexcm to 2.5 xcexcm and the lower size cut is 0.1 to 0.15 xcexcm diameter. Some work has been done in collecting samples for chemical analysis using these concentrators.
The particle concentrators used for inhalation studies are designed specifically for that purpose and are based on the observation that 90% or more of the mass of inhalable ambient aerosol is accounted for by particles in the range of 0.1 to 2.5 xcexcm diameter. The situation is different for mobile source emissions samples where most of the mass is accounted for by particles in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 xcexcm diameter and most particles are less than 0.1 xcexcm in diameter.
Several approaches have been used successfully for collecting samples of smaller particles with impactors. The MOUDI(trademark) and ELPI(trademark) devices are cascade impactors which rely on a very large pressure drop across the device to obtain mass distribution information on particles between 0.03 to 10 xcexcm diameter. These devices operate at relatively low sampling rates so collection of sufficient material for chemical analysis requires either multiple samples or long duration sampling. The large pressure drop also results in loss of volatile material from the sample.
The ELPI instrument charges particles and passes the sample stream containing the charged particles through a cascade impactor. As the particles impact on the stage of the impactor corresponding to their size, the electric current produced is measured, giving real time particle size distribution data on the sample stream. The lowest stage of the ELPI system detects particles down to 0.03 xcexcm diameter and smaller. However, this arrangement does not rely on electrostatics for separation.
Considerable prior art exists in which electrostatic separation is used for various purposes. A typical example is Altman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,494, to a separator for use in cleansing factory discharges. The apparatus comprises a cyclonic type separator with an electrostatic charge imparted to the particles to enhance the cyclonic effect.
Additional prior art exists in which a xe2x80x9cvertical virtual impactorxe2x80x9dtype of separation occurs. A typical example is Gondar U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,691, to a particulate collection system to purify air in the vicinity of a power tool. Air is drawn into a tube thereby forming a localized vacuum-induced aerodynamic fluid flow in the vicinity of the work piece. Particles are then precipitated by electrostatic forces.
Electrostatic separation arrangements are also known. A commercial particle sizing instrument using this approach is sold by TSI Incorporatedxe2x80x94SMPS(trademark).
The SMPS instrument pass particles with a Boltzan neutral charge distribution through a varying electric field. Only particles with a specific charge to mass ratio successfully traverse the electric field to be collected at the detector. This instrument also gives particle size distribution information, but not in real time as it takes approximately one minute to complete a size-range scan. The smallest size of particles that this instrument can measure is 0.007 xcexcm diameter, approaching the division between molecule and particle.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved particle concentrator suitable for sampling of vehicle emissions and ambient air (or atmospheric aerosols). It is a further object to permit efficient sampling via a high concentration effect, while also permitting retention of even small particles.
The present invention provides for the combination of two known arrangements to provide an improved and more effective concentration and collection of fine particulate material. The invention relates to the combination of charging of particles and focussing by use of electric fields in combination with aerodynamics to achieve particle concentration in the gas flow which has not been done previously. The key difference is that the concentrated particles remain suspended in a gas flow and are not electrostatically collected or removed from the gas flow.
The various features of the present invention are:
the use of an aerodynamic particle concentrator to achieve concentration of particles in a gas stream;
the charging of the particles before they enter the particle concentrator; and
the use of electric fields to draw the smallest particles (0.30 xcexcm and smaller, and more preferably, 0.15 xcexcm and smaller), which would otherwise escape concentration by the aerodynamic concentrator, into the concentrated flow.
A further feature is the potential decrease in particle loss to the walls due to collisions as the particles can be focussed away from the surfaces of the concentrator.
Various advantages occur from the invention, as follows:
The concentrator offers reductions in sampling time needed for collection of sufficient material for chemical analysis, thus reducing the cost of sample collection (reducing replicate sample collection or repeating of test sequences).
The concentrator offers the possibility of increased temporal or diurnal resolution of the analysis of samples collected of atmospheric aerosols. Currently, sufficient material is collected in 24 hours for some analyses. By increasing the amount of material collected on a single filter by a factor of 25 to 35, the temporal resolution could be improved at least hourly, allowing diurnal changes in the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols to be studied.
Since the operation of the particle concentrator removes a large fraction of the matrix gas, a large volume of gas can be sampled without having to draw the entire volume through a filter. Thus, losses due to volatility are reduced.
Sampling artifacts, such as adsorption of gases by the filter media are reduced as the volume of gas drawn through the filter is reduced.
Since a large volume of gas is sampled without having to draw the entire volume through the filter, the inherent advantages of collecting this sample on a smaller sized filter will be achieved.
The invention comprises a particle concentrator comprising, in sequence, a diffuser section having an inlet and an outlet, a charging section including electrical charging means for charging particles passing through the charging section, a focussing section including electrical focussing means for focussing electrically charged particles passing therethrough and to deflect the charged particles radially inwardly towards the central axis, a convergent section having a large end connected to the focussing section and a smaller end, and a virtual impactor particle concentrator connected to the smaller end of the convergent section. The virtual impactor particle concentrator comprises a nozzle, a major discharge passage extending laterally (radially) immediately after the nozzle and a minor discharge passage extending axially after the nozzle. The minor discharge passage is larger in diameter than the nozzle. The charged particles tend to proceed along the central axis into the minor passage while carrier gas largely stripped of particulates passed into the major passage. In one embodiment, the electrical charging means for electrically charging the particles comprises a field/discharge system. In a further form of the apparatus, the field/discharge system comprises a plurality of charging cells followed by a plurality of collection cells. In a further arrangement, the apparatus includes electrical means for focussing the charged particles in the form of a plurality of ring electrodes.
There are several potential arrangements of electrodes.
ring electrodes unipolar to attract or repel charged particles
paired ring electrodes with opposite potentials applied between the pair to alternately attract and repel the charged particles
a central electrode to attract charged particles, paired with a conical arrangement of ring electrodes to repel the charged particles.
In yet another arrangement, the nozzle of the virtual impact concentrator comprises a circular nozzle, with the major discharge passage forming an annular passage extending around the nozzle, and including exit for means for passage of fluid largely stripped of particles from the major discharge passage. In yet another arrangement, the electrical charging means and the electrical focussing means are each of a value to deflect at least the majority of particles in a predetermined range of particle dimensions.
In a preferred arrangement, the predetermined range of particles is from 0.005 to 20 xcexcm, with a more preferred range being from 0.01 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm.
A further aspect of the invention is a method of concentrating particles in a fluid flow, comprising feeding the fluid flow through a diffuser, feeding the flow from the diffuser through an electrical charging section and charging the particles in the flow, feeding the flow from the electrical charging section through an electrical focussing section and deflecting charged particles towards the central axis of the charging section, feeding the flow from the focussing section through a convergent section to a virtual impactor concentrator, deflected particles passing through a nozzle of the concentrator and discharging the flow stripped largely of particles laterally into a major discharge passage, while a concentrated stream of particulates continues axially for downstream collection and sampling.
In a further feature, the method includes electrically charging and focussing the particles to deflect at least a majority of particles in a predetermined dimensional range.
Critical to the focussing of particles prior to the flow entering the virtual impactor is the concept of a xe2x80x9ccapture tubexe2x80x9d. Fluid dynamic modelling of the new virtual impactor has shown that the particles preferably be focussed into a region within about 0.316 R where R is the radius of the throat of the virtual impactor. Any particle within this capture tube will pass through the virtual impactor and be retained in the minor flow. The value for this region may vary by 10%, but a preferred value is within 2% of the above ratio, with a still more preferred value being with 0.5% of this value.
Another important component of the virtual impactor is the shape of the channel for the major flow. Fluid dynamic modelling has shown that this channel must decrease in height as 1/r where r is the distance from the central axis of the impactor measured radially outward. This feature eliminates recirculation fo flow in the channel, improving the performance of the impactor and reducing the pumping capacity required to move the major gas flow, thus reducing cost and increasing efficiency (see FIG. 2).
In the following detailed description, various dimensions are presented. It will be understood that these dimensions are not intended to be limiting of the scope of this invention. The invention may be readily modified by scaling up or down by any amount, as well as by altering relative dimensions by up to 50% but preferably by no more than 10% and still more preferably by no more than 2% of the expressed values.